Michaela Tabb quits snooker

Tabb, 47, joined the world snooker circuit in 2001 after a stint refereeing in the world of pool.

And she quickly became a favourite with fans and players alike for her calm demeanour, gentle sense of humour, and impeccable abilities as a referee.

Her rise to prominence within the game culminated in her being given the ultimate honour not once, but twice: in 2009 she became the first woman to referee the World Championship final, and she again took charge of the sport's biggest match in 2012.

She has now left the world snooker circuit, as World Snooker confirmed in a statement: "World Snooker would like to take the opportunity to thank Michaela for her contribution to World Snooker over the last 14 years and wish her all the best with her future refereeing endeavours."